Older visitors to boost Paphos tourism

PAPHOS is attracting the interest of thousands of European visitors to Cyprus aged 55 years and over, who are taking part in a specialised new holiday programme for EU residents.

The venture, which started on commenced on October 15 and will continue until the end of April 2011, is in co-operation with Kavaliero Viajes, a Greek tour operator.

Company spokesman Nicos Kavalieros said that it’s estimated that during the winter period, Cyprus will have more than 50,000 tourists from 10 different EU counties and at least 70 per cent of them will stay in Paphos.

To kick off the scheme, 600 European visitors arrived in Paphos last week after taking up on the special package holiday offers.

Viajes specialise in holidays for older people, and these Cyprus packages operate on a half-board basis, meaning that the visitors will hopefully frequent local cafes, restaurants and shops for some of their needs and help boost the local economy.

“We are hoping that this may encourage some restaurants to remain open during the winter period this year,” said Paphos Tourism Board director, Nasos Hadjigeorgiou.

President of EVE – the Paphos Chamber of Commerce – George Leptos was equally optimistic. “During a difficult period for the tourist industry, this new programme will bring to Paphos a few thousand visitors and will also contribute to reducing the problem of seasonal employment and a drop in visitor numbers during the winter,” he said.

The scheme, available to EU citizens aged 55 years or over who live in Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria and Italy, offers special holiday packages for different parts of Cyprus, especially Paphos.

According to Leptos, more than eight hotel units in Paphos and a further eight in the rest of Cyprus will take part in the programme.

The scheme has also been welcomed by the mayor of Paphos, Savvas Vergas, and the president of the local hoteliers’ association Themis Philipides.

Kavalieros noted that the programme had already enjoyed great success in other European countries and that there is, “special interest in Cyprus, especially Paphos”.

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